Lamp socket



Jan. 26, 1937. o 2,068,930

LAMP SOCKET Filed July 30, 1932 JQudQZf Popp V Patented Jan. 26, 1937FATE LAMP SOCKET corporation of Indiana Application July 30, 1932,Serial No. 627,038

1'7 Claims.

My invention relates in general to electric lamp sockets and more inparticular to an electric lamp socket having included therein animproved switch mechanism.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of an improvedlamp socket.

Another object is the provision of an improved lamp socket and switchcombination.

Another object is to simplify the manufacture and assembly of suchcombination sockets.

A further object is greatly to decrease the number of parts employed ina lamp socket of the character identified, while at the same timedecreasing the cost, increasing the life, and simplifying the operation.

A still further object is to avoid the use of porcelain and otherconventional insulating means in a lamp socket switch combination andstill produce a rugged, long lived article of greatly improved operatingcharacteristics.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description taken with theaccompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is elevational view showing thesocket completely assembled;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the socket, but showing theswitch assembly in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view showing the switchmechanism;

4 is an irregular section thereof taken along the line dt of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a terminal and assembly member;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the manner in which thescrew shell and switch members are interconnected;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the stationary svitch contacts;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 3showing the manner in which the stationary contact is supported; and

9 is a bottom plan View looking upwardly at Fig. 3 (the lever mechanismbeing broken away to conserve space).

The lamp socket and switch of my invention is shown best in Figs. 2 to9, inclusive, Fig. l merely showing the outer shell or housing,including the upper portion II and lower portion l2. This is aconventional form of shell, it being understood that the combination ofmy invention may be mounted in other ways. The figure illustrates,however, that it may be employed with conventional fixtures now incommon use.

The device per se includes frame members l3 and M. These two framemembers are identical and comprise flat sheets of insulating material 5such as synthetic resin, fibre, or any of the usual materials employedin electrical industries.

The two members I3 and M are separated by a pair of spacers Hi and ii,the spacers having projections Ito and Na, respectively, which 10projections extend through apertures formed in the frame members. Theseprojections may be upended or flattened over to hold the frame membersin assembled relation.

A switch mechanism, including stationary contacts l8 and I9 and amovable contact, is mounted between the frame members. First consideringthe stationary contacts 58 and I9, these contacts, shaped as shown inFig. 7, are secured to the spacers l6 and ll, respectively. Fig. 8 showsthe stationary contact [8 secured to the spacer E6. The contact has anarrowed portion 2i, which extends between shoulders formed by recessingthe edge of the spacer member. By forming a slight V-slot at theshoulder of the spacer member, some of the material constituting theshoulder is forced over the portion 2! of the stationary contact, whichassembles the two members together. A lip 22 lies along one side of thespacer when the two members are secured together in this fashion, and apair of shoulders 23 on the contact member engage the opposite side ofthe spacer, thereby reinforcing the connection and preventing thepossibility of movement occurring between the stationary contact and thespacer.

A movable contact member is provided between the two stationarycontacts. This moving contact is substantially a star shaped bridgingcontact 2-! carried on a toothed wheel 26 having an integral ratchetwheel 27 and projecting axis members 28 journaled in the frame membersl3 and I I. The composite member comprising the toothed wheel andratchet wheel is formed of insulating material, preferably a moldingcompound. The wheel is provided with teeth, the space between the teethbeing alternately shallow and deep, and the arms of the star shapedbridging contact have portions 24a formed at an angle to the mainportion of the bridging contact member and overlying alternate teeth. Asthe drawing shows, the stationary contacts, formed of spring material,have arcuate ends shaped to engage between the teeth. When thesestationary contacts engage in the shallow spaces between the teeth,which shallow spaces support the portions 24a, the two stationarycontacts are bridged. When the contacts engage in the deep spacesbetween the teeth, however, they engage nothing but insulating materialand are not placed in electrical connection with each other, as occurswhen they engage the bridging contact member.

The movable or bridging contact member is operated through the integralratchet wheel 21 by means of a substantially U-shaped operating member29. This member has two arms, one of which is bent over at 3| to form anoperating pawl and the other of which is disposed fiat against the teethof the ratchet wheel to balance the portion of the wheel which the pawlengages. This operating member 29 is also formed of spring material andby the arrangement of the two arms, the pawl is always resiliently heldin a position either in engagement with one of the ratchet teeth or sothat it can engage a ratchet tooth if properly moved. The operatingmember 29 is apertured to pass a headed bar 32, which, due to its head33, cannot pass through the aperture in the operating member. This barpasses through a U-shaped spring housing 34, which has projections 34a.extending through the flat frame members. These projections, the same asprojections Mia and Ila, are adapted to be flattened. In the case of theU-shaped spring housing 34, this housing not only functions as a spacerbut by its attachment to the frame members is held substantiallystationary so that the bar 32 may be moved with respect thereto foroperating the bridging contact.

A spring 36 disposed in the U-shaped housing member has one end bearingagainst the bearing member 29 and the opposite end bearing against theend of its housing. In connection with this U-shaped housing, attentionis called to the fact that the two frame members, engaging both sides ofthe U-shaped housing member, serve to close the housing andsubstantially entirely enclose the spring 36. A collar 31 is provided,secured to the U-shaped spring housing in the embodiment shown, andfunctioning as a fulcrum against which a lever 38 is adapted to rock.The bar 32 is connected to a member 39 by universal joint connection anda suitable chain 4| is connected to the member 39. This member 39 iscarried and supported within the lever 38 in any suitable manner. It maybe stated that insofar as the present invention is concerned, it ismerely necessary to provide a universal connection between the lever 38and the bar 32.

The switch mechanism is attached to the usual screw shell 42 by means ofa terminal and assembly member 43. This member has projections 44, twoof which extend through slots in the base and are clinched over (Figs. 4and 9) to attach the terminal and assembly member rigidly to the screwshell. The other two projections 44 extend through an open portion ofthe base and are clamped over (Fig. 9).

The terminal and assembly member 43 has extensions or ears 46 of generalT shape, which extensions by being bent upwardly and inwardly, positionthe ears to engage in edge slots in the frame members and rigidlyinterconnect the switch assembly and screw shell.

The frame spacer and assembly member I! is drawn to form a boss orconvexed projecting portion which becomes the center lamp contact 41. Tothis end the base of the screw shell is formed partially open, the openportion having in general the outline of the open portion shown in theassembly member 43 (Fig. The center contact is, therefore, spaced awayfrom the shell so as to avoid any possibility of a short circuit betweenthe shell and center contact. It should be recalled that the projectionsIla extend through the frame members l3 and I4 and, with the terminaland assembly member 43 secured to the screw shell and frame members inthe manner described, the assembly member would normally be broughtsomewhat close to the projections Ila. To avoid any possibility of ashort circuit at this point, cutaway portions 48 are provided in theterminal and assembly member 43, and the base of the screw shell is cutaway to correspond with these recesses. The terminal and assembly member43 and the base of the screw shell were previously referred to as beingcut away so that one of the spacer members having a special shape couldbe employed as a center lamp terminal. In addition to this function,however, the contiguous edges of the frame members are shaped to extenddown into the open portion of the base of the screw shell and alsothrough the terminal and assembly member 43, thus greatly reinforcingthe connection between the screw shell and switch assembly and alsofacilitating the centering of the switch, particularly for assemblypurposes.

The spacer member l6 which supports the stationary contact l8 serves asone terminal of the switch and is provided with a conductor attachingscrew 5!. The terminal and assembly member 43 has an integral terminalpost 52, through which a screw 53 is threaded for attaching a conductorthereto.

The socket and switch assembly of my invention is very simple andinexpensive to manufacture and assemble. All of the parts are eitherstampings or very simply made in other ways. The switch mechanism isfirst assembled as a separate unit, this switch mechanism including allof the mechanism supported between the two frame members l3 and 14. Thescrew shell and terminal and assembly member 43 are then securedtogether to form a separate assembly unit. The last step in the assemblyis to bend up the T-shaped projections 46 so as to engage in the edgeslots of the frame members. In this operation, the two previouslyassembled units are brought together to substantially the position shownin the drawing and the T-shaped projections 45, by a suitable operation,bent upwardly at right angles until they occupy the position shown inFig. 3. As a preliminary step to the assembly, these T-shapedprojections are formed to approximately the shape shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 2 shows the manner in which my invention fits in the ordinary outersocket shell. The conductor wires are brought in and attached to thesocket through the screws 5| and 53 in substantially the ordinary way.

Due to the simplicity of construction, it should be noted that the usualinsulating disc within the screw shell is avoided. The member 43 is infull and direct contact with the shell and the usual conductor attachedto the mounting post 5?. is brought into direct contact with the screwshell. With one of the supports for a stationary contact servingdirectly as the center lamp contact, and with the other support for astationary switch contact serving as a terminal for the conductor, it isclear that a very simple and inexpensive device results. The simplicityof my in vention is apparent from the number of parts saved. I havecompared the socket of my invention to the simplest high grade socket ofthe prior art having substantially the same mode of operation, and Ihave found that approximately ten parts are saved. This saving in partshas not been effected merely by combining parts as appears clear fromthe description, but by a process of simplification, redesigning andrearranging whereby some parts are rendered entirely unnecessary andother parts are made to do double duty. Not only is there an advantagefrom the standpoint of cost in this arrangement, but, due to the smallernumber of parts and the simplicity of the construction, there is less toget out of order and the socket of my invention, by its very nature,will have a much longer life.

I have described my invention in detail so that those skilled in the artwill understand the manner in which the same is practiced. My inventionis limited, however, only by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a lamp socket of the character described, a pair of frame membersformed of insulating material and disposed substantially parallel toeach other, switch mechanism supported between the frame members, ascrew shell having an open base, an assembly member secured to the screwshell and having a pair of T-shaped extensions. and means for attachingsaid extensions to oppositely disposed side edges of the frame membersso as to maintain intermediate end edges of the frame members rigidly onthe base of said screw shell.

2. In a lamp socket of the character described, a pair of frame membersformed of insulating material and disposed substantially parallel toeach other, switch mechanism supported between the frame members, ascrew shell having an open base, an assembly member secured to the screwshell and having a pair of T-shaped extensions, and means for attachingsaid extensions to oppcsitely disposed side edges of the frame membersso as to maintain intermediate end edges of the frame'members rigidly onthe base of said screw shell, a spacer disposed between the framemembers near said intermediate end edges thereof, said spacer having aboss projecting from between the frame members through openings in thescrew shell base and said assembly member, said boss extending directlyaxially of the screw shell whereby to form a center lamp contact.

3. In a lamp socket, a pair of flat frame members formed of insulatingmaterial. a spacer member at the top and at the bottom of the framemembers, each horizontally positioned and carrying a stationary contactthereon extending inwardly therefrom, a bridging contact r0- tatablycarried in the frame between the stationary contacts, a screw shellhaving a base with slots therein, an assembly member positioned on theoutside of the shell base having lugs projecting through said slots tosecure the screw shell thereto, with a T-shaped lug having outstandingears on the head thereof extending from each end of the assembly bentupwardly whereby the outstanding ears rest in edge recesses in the sideedges of the frame plates to retain the frame members in rigid relationto the screw shell.

4. In a lamp socket, a pair of fiat frame members formed of insulatingmaterial, a pair of oppositely disposed spacers set between the framemembers, a pair of stationary electrical contacts mounted on the spacermembers, a rotatable bridging contact between the frame members, a screwshell having a base with slots therein, an assembly member having lugsprojecting through said slots to secure the screw shell to the assemblymember, and a pair of T-shaped extensions from said assembly member,each T-shaped extension having a pair of lugs engaging in edge slots atopposite sides of the frame members whereby to support the frame memberson the shell, said assembly member also having an integral terminal postprojection extending substantially parallel to the frame members andalong one side of one of said frame members.

5. In a lamp socket of the character described, a pair of flatinsulating frame members, a pair of spacers holding the frame memberssubstantially parallel to each other, a pair of stationary switchcontacts each attached to one of said spacers, rotatable bridgingcontact means carried by i the frame members, a screw shell having abase with an open space therein, and an assembly member attached to theframe members and having ears extending through slots in said screwshell base and clinched over to attach the screw shell to the framemembers.

6. In a lamp socket of the character described, a pair of flatinsulating frame members, a pair of spacers holding the frame memberssubstantiaily parallel to each other, a, pair of stationary switchcontacts each attached to one of said spacers, rotatable bridgingcontact means carried by the frame members, a screw shell having a basewith an open space therein, and an assembly member attached to the framemembers and having ears extending through slots in said screw shell baseand clinched over to attach the screw shell to the frame members, one ofsaid spacers having a convexed portion projecting through the open spacein the base and comprising the center lamp contact.

7. In a lamp socket of the character described, a pair of fiatinsulating frame members, a pair of spacers holding the frame memberssubstantially parallel to each other, a pair of stationary switchcontacts each attached to one of said spacers, rotatable bridgingcontact means carried by the frame members, a screw shell having a basewith an open space therein, an assembly member having lugs extendingthrough slots in the screw shell base to secure the screw shell thereto,and having a pair of substantially T-shaped projections, each T having aweb portion lying between the edges of the frame members at oppositesides thereof, and the extensions of the cross I pieces of the Tscomprising lugs extending into edge slots in the frame members,

8. A lamp socket comprising a pair of insulat ing flat plates as framemembers, means for supporting the frame members in parallel relation, aswitch mechanism carried between the frame members, a screw shell at theend edges of the frame members, an assembly member having a flat basewith upwardly extending lugs engaging the frame members and downwardlyextending lugs for engaging the screw shell to secure the frame membersand screw shell together, and a switch operating member projecting fromthe frame members at right angles to the axis of the shell.

9. A lamp socket including a pair of fiat parallel frame plates, spacermembers at the top and at the bottom of said frame plate havingstationary contacts thereon, rotatable bridging contact mechanismbetween said stationary contacts,

and a lever for operating said mechanism extending out of one side ofthe frame opposite said contact mechanism and at right angles to theframe side edge, a screw shell, and an assembly member for uniting theframe plates and screw shell.

10. A lamp socket including a pair of fiat parallel frame plates, acombination spacer member and terminal post at the top of said frameplates having a stationary contact thereon, a combination spacer memberand center lamp contact at the bottom of the frame plates having astationary contact thereon, rotatable bridging contact mechanism betweensaid stationary contacts, and a lever for operating said mechanismextending out of one side of the frame opposite one side of the contactmechanism and at right angles to the frame side edge, a screw shell, anassembly member for uniting the frame plates and screw shell, andterminal means for the screw shell.

11. A lamp socket including a pair of flat parallel frame plates, astationary contact supported at the top of the frame plates, and a,terminal post connected thereto, a combination spacer member and centerlamp contact at the bottom of the frame plates having a stationarycontact thereon, said lamp contact having an embossed portion centrallyof said member, rotatable bridging contact mechanism between saidstationary contacts, a lever for operating said mechanism extending outof one side of said frame, a screw shell, an assembly member for unitingthe frame plates and screw shell, and terminal means for the screwshell.

12. A lamp socket including a pair of fiat parallel frame plates aterminal post for one of two conductors to the lamp socket and astationary contact at the top of the frame plates, a center lamp contactat the bottom of the frame plates having a stationary contact extendingtherefrom, a screw shell for said lamp socket insulated from said centerlamp contact means for securing together said frame plates and saidscrew shell, said means comprising a one-piece substantially ring-shapedassembly member having a terminal post for the second of the twoconductors to the lamp socket on one side thereof extending upwardly onthe outside of one of said frame plates, a pair of integral clampingextensions extending upwardly at opposite sides of the ring for engagingin corresponding edge recesses on the side edges of the frame plates,and a plurality of lugs extending downwardly into the screw shell tosecure the assembly member thereon.

13. A lamp socket including a switching mechanism assembly comprising apair of flat parallel frame plates, spacer members at the top and at thebottom of the frame plates, stationary contacts supported within theframe plates and a bridging contact wheel between said stationarycontacts, means for operating said contact wheel including a universallever extending out of one side of said frame and a screw shell andmounting assembly comprising a screw shell having an open base with amounting member on top of said base, said mounting member including asubstantially ring-shaped body portion having a plurality of lugsextending downwardly through corresponding slots in the screw shellbase, and a pair of T-shaped extensions extending outwardly therefromadapted to be bent upwardly and inwardly to fit in corresponding edgerecesses in the side edges of the frame plates whereby to rigidly securetogether said switch mechanism assembly and said screw shell andmounting assembly.

14. An electric switch having a pair of preassembled units, with one ofsaid pre-assembled units comprising an insulating frame havingoppositely disposed recessed side edges, switching mechanism rotatablysupported within said frame, and the other of said pre-assembled unitscomprising a screw shell, an assembly member rigidly secured to saidscrew shell including a pair of oppositely disposed clamping extensionsextending upwardly from the screw shell havin engaging portions formedto correspond with said side edge recesses of said frame, and saidextensions adapted to be bent inwardly to position said engagingportions in said recesses to rigidly fasten said pro-assembled unitstogether.

15. An electric switch having a pair of pre-assembled units, with one ofsaid units including a pair of frame plates, frame plate retainingmembers at each end thereof, stationary contacts supported within saidframe, rotatable contact bridging means carried to rotate between saidstationary contacts, and actuating means for said contact bridgingmeans, and the other of said pro-assembled units including a screw shelland an assembly ring rigidly secured thereto, with said assembly ringhaving a pair of oppositely disposed upwardly extending clampingextensions, and each extension having a pair of engaging ears, with saidclamping extensions adapted to be bent inwardly with the engaging earsfitting in corresponding side edge recesses in said frame plates tosecure the two units together.

16. An electric switch having a pair of independently pre-assembledunits, with one of said pre-assembled units comprising a rigid frame,switching mechanism rotatably supported within said frame, and the otherof said pre-assembled units comprising a screw shell, an assembly memberrigidly secured to said screw shell having clamping means for engagingthe frame of said first pre-assembled unit upon bringing said unitstogether, to rigidly secure said first unit on said second unit.

1'7. An electric switch having a pair of terminals for electricalconductors and circuit interrupting mechanism to interrupt a circuitincluding said two conductors, said switch comprising a twopre-assembled unit assembly with one of said pre-assembled unitsincluding a frame, one of said terminals on said frame and said circuitinterrupting mechanism rotatably carried therein, with the other of saidpre-assembled units comprising a screw shell, the other terminal thereonand assembly means rigidly secured thereto, with engaging means on saidassembly means to secure said second pro-assembled unit rigidly to saidfirst pre-assembled unit upon bringing said units together.

RUDOLF POPP.

